[ninty]

but that can happen no matter the amount of gun control as long as guns are still legal.

that could happen in Europe where there are stricter gun laws or Canada.

only option there would to ban entirely every single firearm that can shoot a projectile over 400fps or so. I don't see that as an option, however, i'm sure there are many people that would support that as well as many politicians and lawmakers. I am not one of them.

[Douchetallica]

My girlfriend's family lives a couple hours from Blacksburg, her brother goes to Virginia Tech.

He almost always had classes at that Engineering building due to his field of study, but he recently changed his major so he wasn't in/near the building today.

My girlfriend called me shortly after I woke up and saw it on the news, she was crying knowing that her brother could have been in there had he not changed his career path.

I've been watching the news and I must say that one step-father from the Columbine incident brought up some good discussions about how the motives behind today's events will be concealed as were the motives for the Columbine massacre. And I agree with the politicians who blame the school, the President of VT and police officer saying they had the crime scene under control... they forgot one thing they didn't have under control -- the shooter.

Anyhow, my condolences to friends or family affected by today.

[1080jibber]

Originally Posted by Sparks

I've been watching the news and I must say that one step-father from the Columbine incident brought up some good discussions about how the motives behind today's events will be concealed as were the motives for the Columbine massacre.

there was a different reason for the Columbine incident? it wasnt because they were picked on and one of them had mental health issues.

[c312]

Originally Posted by elstatec

the columbine dudes just got some 3rd party person to buy the guns they used legally, so lets think carefully.

ok, well if we're "thinking carefully" -- how many people died at columbine or other school shootings with legal guns? Now compare that to how many people are killed in robberies, gang murders, drive-by's, hits, etc with ILLEGAL guns? I'm gonna put my money on illegal guns having a higher death count than legal ones...

[Douchetallica]

Apparently the Columbine shooters did a lot of picking on people themselves and there are underground videos of them holding guns in their basement and talking about shootings kids at school.

The step-father didn't say much since he said they all have gag-orders on them.

He was pretty confident the police, administration, and parents of the victims of today's events will have gag-orders too.

[elstatec]

Originally Posted by c312

ok, well if we're "thinking carefully" -- how many people died at columbine or other school shootings with legal guns? Now compare that to how many people are killed in robberies, gang murders, drive-by's, hits, etc with ILLEGAL guns? I'm gonna put my money on illegal guns having a higher death count than legal ones...

yes but this thread is about another school shooting, and im betting these gun/s were aquired legally.

[Cpt. Obvious]

Originally Posted by Nyck

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3045574

[quote:48040]At least 25 people are dead in what may be the biggest mass killing on a college campus in American history — and the death toll may rise.

Police at Virginia Tech say that the shootings happened at a dormitory and a classroom on opposite sides of the university campus in Blacksburg, Va.

Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum said that one person was killed in the first shooting, just after 7 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston Hall, a large dormitory. Flinchum said that at least 20 more people were killed in a later shooting at Norris Hall, an academic building.

Flinchum said the gunman was dead, but wouldn't say whether the shooter killed himself. The gunman, whose identity has not been released, is among the dead.

ABC News confirms that there were two separate bomb threats at Virginia Tech that targeted engineering buildings. The first was directed at Torgersen Hall, while the second was directed at multiple engineering buildings. Students and staff were evacuated, and the university had offered a $5000 reward for information into the threats.

Not all of the students involved in the shootings are dead. Two local hospitals are reporting treating 21 people.

University president Charles Steger said that police have not officially tied together the two shootings.

Steger described today's events as an incident of "tragic proportions," and said, "the university is shocked and horrified that this would befall us."

The campus is closed today and classed are cancelled today and tomorrow. Families seeking to reunite with their children have been directed by the unversity to the Inn at Virginia Tech.

Doesnt capt obvious go there? Milla is a huge fan too[/quote:48040]
No I'm about 5 hours away but thanks for your concern. Living here I grew up hating Virginia Tech but now that doesn't really matter. That is so terrible that it happened. Why would they not cancel class after the first shooting?

[c312]

Originally Posted by elstatec

yes but this thread is about another school shooting, and im betting these gun/s were aquired legally.

but you think "making guns harder to get a hold of" would be warranted even though the vast majority of gun killings are most likely with illegal guns? Seems to be targeting the wrong problem.

[c312]

[quote="Cpt. Obvious":0722b]
Why would they not cancel class after the first shooting?[/quote:0722b]


I think a lot of people are asking that question and the university better have a damn good answer because I can't imagine why they wouldn't cancel class after a murder on campus, especially when they knew nothing about the killer's whereabouts.

[Douchetallica]

They thought they had it confined, which is understandable since it would appear to be a domestic thing.

I just don't get why no one at the Engineering building tried to fight back or take down the guy. If you're going down, why not go down fighting. Someone had asked that at the first press conference.

[elstatec]

Originally Posted by c312

but you think "making guns harder to get a hold of" would be warranted even though the vast majority of gun killings are most likely with illegal guns? Seems to be targeting the wrong problem.

just because if the crackdown (if one was to take place) didnt halt the people that got the weapons illegally, wouldnt it at least be worth it to stop things like this where kids etc get hold of weapons via weapons that were aquirred legally to stop stuff like this happening? if kids like these at columbine were not able to get some legally or from parents odd ones laying around then they aint going to be able to get ahold of them unless they are connected to the mafia.

guns were made for killing have no mistake about it, so less of them about the less murders. simple math.

[descry]

fucked

[ninty]

The school recently instituted a no guns policy on campus. Virgina has a concealed carry law which allows permitted citizens to legally conceal a handgun for defense purposes. Perhaps if they had allowed concealed weapons on campus, 32+ people wouldn't be dead right now.

Guns can be used for bad, but they can also be used for good. Self defense should be a basic human right. In many states it is.

In Canada, it is not unfortunately. There is basically no right to self defense. If you shoot someone on your property in Canada, you're going to have piles of legal bills to pay because you will be in court regardless.

If you ban all guns, only criminals will have guns. That leaves the rest of the population defenseless. Arm ordinary citizens and perhaps criminals would think twice about committing crimes.

Again, it's not the people who get permits for guns who are shooting people up. Also, statistically, the number of concealed weapons licenses revoked is almost negligible.

[elstatec]

Maybe the number of concealed weapons licenses revoked is almost "negligible" but in situations like that its a bit to late to revoke the license from whoever might legally own this weapon.

im just glad it is illegal to have weapons over here, seems to of worked so far.

[RaNgeR]

I woke up at 11:30 for my 11:45 class, logged on and I had an IM from my mom telling me to turn on the news and that she had been trying to call me all morning. My best friend goes to VT...he's like an adopted son in my family, my mom was freaking. Oh, and hes a Bio Chemical engineering major...thank god he is away on an internship; I dont know what I would have done. Watching the cell phone video is chilling...hearing the shots is awful.